“…just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Matthew 20:28

There are some who preach a gospel that says Jesus came to give us a life of comfort and prosperity. While God blesses us in many ways when we live in relationship with him, financial blessing isn’t the most important, or the most common way of blessing. In fact the Bible speaks about the difficulty of ‘rich’ people entering the Kingdom and the danger of putting money, power, and social status above our relationship with God.

Jesus’ focus while he was on earth was to tend to the needs of those around him. That was his only purpose in life. There were plenty of times in his ministry that he could have set up his own little church and settled in Can’t you see it now?

“Jesus Healing and Providing Service”, or JHPS for short. His tag line could have been “Bring me your sick, your disabled your blind and your dead. I’ll heal them for you and you’ll live happily ever after!”

Sounds a little far-fetched doesn’t it? That’s because the last thing Jesus was concerned about was his retirement pension. 410K’s and second homes and foundations bearing his name were meaningless to him.

He spent his entire life working for others and never once did he ask for anything in return! He touched the diseased and stinking body of the leper. He sat men and women who had spent a lifetime taking from others. Jesus spent his times in the slums and ghettos of life, while most of us yearn for the suburbs and the quiet country-side.

The most amazing thing about Jesus is this. While he was walking down the dusty, hot and dry paths of Palestine, he looked down through the future and saw me and you. He saw the times we’ve taken him into moral darkness. He’s heard the words we’ve used to hurt others or mock his name. He’s seen our anger, our hatred, and our apathy.

Jesus knew that even though he would give everything for me, I would still be selfish and rebellious but he died for me anyway. He died for you too. Your past isn’t important. You don’t need to clean up anything or change anything. He’ll work with you on that. Jesus just wants you to come home to him so he can love you.

That’s leadership. Leadership Jesus’ way says your needs are more important than my comfort.

PRAYER: Dear Jesus, I confess to you that most of my life is really about making myself comfortable. The times I get angry are really the result of not getting my way. Forgive me for seeking my own comfort at the expense of others. Help me to be a servant-leader like you were when you were here on earth. In your name I pray, Amen.

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From our series, 40 Days in the Word. Knowing ABOUT the Bible isn’t the same as making it the one and only authority in your life. Living the Bible is more important that telling others about the Bible.